Hello!

the curtain fabric you have chosen is really pretty and looks great with the wall color!

I like the 3rd look the best: both panels hung from rings. That method of hanging helps the panels fall gracefully and simply. The panel on the left is as close to the TV as I would go. You could buy or make tiebacks if you need to pull the drapery panel further off the window, but not further encroach the space next to the TV. FWIW, I like the roman blinds, and I would install them just under the curtain rod for decorative purposes. That would give the whole window treatment a more finished look.

Thanks andrea - I'm still not quite sure of the color of the romans with these panels - they were cheap and something just to throw up for light control. They're inside mount, so though they're long enough to put up over the window they're too narrow to go above it and cover the trim. They barely cover the sashes.

Now, since I have the rod pulled out away from the window casing on the right, would you make that panel wider than the one next to the TV (where the finial is right at the edge of the casing)? So the pleats/folds end up being the same width? Or should both panels be the same?

I was wondering if back-tab panels would look better than rings, and even give the option of pulling the panels to one side without sliding as much as rings, but allow the slightly stiff fabric to fall nicer than a rod pocket?

Also not sure about the rod diameter (too skinny?) and color now - others had recommended darker thicker rods. I found some at Target in ORB but the holdbacks look a little small so I think they'd only work if I had panels hanging straight down as shown. Pics of those rods later - I can't find them on Target's website.

Hi AJ, just got home from the shop!
Could you post a picture of the wall with the TV from across the room so I can see the whole wall in one picture?
Since we do custom drapes, and I don't order the flat topped panels, I am not a good candidate to ask about them. I have seen some posted on GW that seemed to hang alright, but I'm old fashioned in my ways when it comes to panels and I like them pleated in some fashion. I just like the way they hang. Your fabric looks rather stiff, but that can work in your favor.
I think you have enough fabric for 2 pair of nice drapes if you choose to have them made.
If you decide to have something fabricated for your window, I really would like to see the stripe done as a roman shade for each window. You could get more height by hanging them as an outside mount above the frame. I see it done that way all the time. I do usually do inside if possible, but not always if the height is important.
If you post that "before" pic, I'll try to show you the stripe as a roman shade as I described.

Are you dead set on panels????

It's hard to get a pic head-on, so here is one at slight angle. Ignore the panels I had up there, but I'd like to keep the rods if possible to save $$. Each of these windows are 42" casing to casing, but the brackets on the rods as I've installed them are closer to 53-54".

The door when open is only a few inches away from the finial

The TV is going on the wall, it's 42" and there is only 55" b/t the window casings, so about 7.5" to each side for stackback, of course I don't mind covering the casing and a bit of the jamb or even the sash if necessary on the TV side of each window. I'd like to keep the sash clear on the other side but could cover the casing. The thing is, should I keep the brackets where I have them now, with 11" or so more to the outside of each window than the TV side? Or should I center each rod over each window?

I also have this window on the other wall perpendicular to the TV wall, it's 81" casing to casing and I'd probably run the rod out another foot or so to each side so 105" or so?

I really like my3dogs's new back tab panels, they cover the rod like rod pockets but seem to pleat easier without having to have pleats sewn in (too fussy for this room). Oh, and I really liked the sketch you did for someone else with inside mount romans under pleated panels. Not sure I have enough for even faux romans though, since some of my fabric lengths are right at 9ft and I've got the rods hung at 92". Thanks!

OK, just measured, the right hand window casing to the door is 26", the left hand window casing to the corner is 21". TV is 42" diagonal so it's 40" wide. Table (where DVD player will go once TV is mounted, not this table, I bought another RTA table) is slightly wider - 46"? Ceiling is 8ft (nominal - might be less with carpet installed). Secretary in corner will be sold so don't worry about that.

ajsmama,
I am sure I would center the rod to the window with only 3 to 5 inches outside the frame on both sides. You just are too limited for wall space to do more. I see a drape running into a little secretary, almost the TV and the double window is very close to another piece of furniture. That's why I suggested the romans. Remember, they won't go to the floor, so you have enough fabric, and you wouldn't have to mount as high as the rods (it's easy to cover holes in drywall). But I'll try to get a pic of panels on those windows for you in a bit. Pleated drapes aren't considered fussy in our neck of the woods. I am installing some two-fold pleated panels Friday for a very casual family room over their french doors. Pleats just make for neat folds, which is more tailored in appearance than fussy. I agree the panels of 3dogs with the tabs to the back give that same neat look without actually sewing in pleats.

When I help a customer decide on window treatments, I look around the room and the way they live and a I might suggest to them to add panels if it won't interfere with furniture.

The rod is really a smaller diameter than I'd like to see, and seems more suited for a light-weight type of fabric (like an unlined sheer).

I'm don't mean to be cranky----I'm just explaining my ideas, and I know everything looks different IRL!! Whatever you do will pull the room together, and I like the stripe a lot better than the previous fabric---much more cheerful.

Oh, OK, just reread and see you're selling the secretary, that will help. I didn't realize you had the double window, though, so I don't know that you can do drapes that actually close on all those windows with your yardage. You won't want them to be flat when they are closed, they still need to have fullness or they'll look like a flat piece of fabric, not a curtain.

Here's a couple of thoughts, bet I know which one you like!
I'm not so opposed to the panels if you're moving some furniture.
{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

OK, I can get chunkier rods, if I have to move and patch and paint anyway. Wish Target had the ones I got on their website to show you. It is tight with the TV there, but the secretary in the corner (shows in both pics) isn't staying. I thought it would fit in my FR but didn't so stuck it out of the way in corner of LR until I can sell it.

You're not being cranky, it is hard to see the big picture when all I can post is bits and pieces! Here's more of the room - such as it is (no artwork, and we have to fit a recliner for DH in back corner to the left of this pic, right of sofa if you're sitting on sofa), so diagonal from the corner where the secretary is right now. The room is 13 ft wide front to back (back of sofa to TV wall) and 17 ft from French doors to big window. I have a 5x8 wool rug in front of the sofa, that's where the kids sprawl so no coffee table. The sofa is centered on the TV, but the TV is shifted to the left (one window is 21" from corner, other is 49" from corner behind door) b/c of door so there's room for a small recliner. So all the furniture (except the table for the DVD player under the TV) will be along the back wall opposite TV, there is 19" b/t the end table and the big window, 46" for the recliner b/t the other end table and the corner. We could move the sofa and tables toward the window more if a recliner needs more room but I don't think the end table would end up within inches of the window - if it did, we'd move it to the other side of the recliner (next to the door).

I thought panels might make the room look taller than romans and I love the back-tab soft folds, just don't want goblet pleats or anything that formal, and "the look for less" is good LOL. Will outside-mount romans block light or leak a little around the edges? Also what to do with that big window? It seemed panels would be easier/block more light for TV watching. FWIW, I have inside-mount romans throughout the house.

Thanks for taking the time to help me. I really want to "pull the room together" (incl finishing the baseboards and window aprons) and not just use it as a storeroom/TV room. We've been trying to finish the house while living in it for 2.5 yrs now. At least the DR furniture is in the DR (for past 18 months!) and not crammed into the LR since we got the DR floor installed! WTs for that room next...

Thanks for the mockups, I still think I like the panels better. How much (finished) width do I need to cover each 42" window? Again, remembering that the TV side is really tight so I don't have room for stackback. I was thinking 2 panels of size 42" - 54" each? And then double that for the 81" window? The fabric is 60" unfinished incl selvage, I have 8 "panels" ranging from 110" to 144" in length, can't really say I have 28-30 yds since it's cut into 8 pieces, but I definitely have enough to do 8 panels of whatever finished width I can get out of 60". Counting the big window as 2, isn't that enough to do 4 windows?

Since I don't know how the tab-back curtains work or are made, I can't comment on the amount of fabric. You just need to give your measurements to your seamstress or whoever is making the panels, and they can figure it out. I know when I make pleated panels, I can change the spacing and fullness in the pleats to accommodate a lot of situations. Does 3dogs open and close her panels? I guess I thought that style was stationary.

Isn't the rule of thumb double the rod length? So each panel width = rd length?

How wide (or what stackback, seamstress can figure width from stackback and fabric stiffness I guess) and what kind of pleats are in your mockup above? I really like that look, though I'd go with the ORB rods. Thanks

The rule of 2x's to 3x's rod length is misunderstood, or I see people thinking of it differently than I do. When curtains were all just shirred on a rod, then it was easy: 25" rod meant at least 50" fabric PLUS extra for hems, etc. Usually 2.5x's looked best. On pinch pleats (as shown above), we usually specify the fullness inside the pleats as 2 or 2.5, often doing 2x's these days for something that has a stackback and we don't want so much fullness when the curtains are opened. If they are stationary we figure 2.5 fullness (in the pleats) or similar to give a nice fullness all the time. The spaces between the pleats really determine the width, so when they are closed you still have fullness (soft folds) because you have the pleats intact.
An example of a recent 2x's fullness is the red dining room we did for a client a couple of weeks ago. She will keep the panels open and only close them for Thanksgiving, basically, so we didn't need to worry about so much fullness---they look full when pushed to the side but still look nice when she closes them.
Look at those pleats---I call them europleats and they are pinched at the top rather than the bottom for a different look. You'll see them a lot in magazines.
Sorry I always am referring back to the blog on here, but it helps explain what I'm talking about.

Here is a link that might be useful: red dining room panels

I saw those on your website, wonder how they would look closed - I might close these if we get rid of the shades (which aren't lined anyway). I'm not sure what you mean by fullness "in the pleats" but I think with 120" (raw) of material for each 42" window I'd have enough.

I know you're not supposed to conduct business here, but do you do Internet orders or only local (so you can measure and install)?